This young woman will honor her deceased parents at college graduation

For families across the country, graduation is a special moment to come together and celebrate a milestone. But for Sequoia Smith, that can’t happen in the usual way. She’s celebrating her college graduation by paying homage to both her parents, who passed away before seeing her walk across the stage to get her diploma.

The 25-year-old is inspiring thousands of people with her story, which she shared on Instagram. She posed in her cap next to photos of her mom and dad, sharing her moment with them.